Welcome to Little Heath School, where everyone is proud to be part of an outstanding comprehensive school and encouraged to fulfil their potential. Thanks to excellent teaching, a broad range of opportunities and careful guidance our students leave us with qualifications that ensure a bright future.

From their very first day we ensure that individual students experience the encouragement and motivation they need to get the very best from their education. The close relationship and clear communication between the school and parents also helps to support and guide students as they develop new skills and strive to become all that they can be.

We are a popular, friendly school with a solid foundation of success and we look forward to welcoming you to Little Heath School. We are sure you will soon find your own way to contribute to our outstanding reputation.

Please use the links at the left of the page to navigate the prospectus. For more information about admissions or to read the latest school newsletter please visit the Headteacher's Page.

Welcome to the Little Heath School Website. At Little Heath School we aim to be a caring, well regulated community which provides for the educational and pastoral needs of every pupil. Our central purpose is to provide a rich, challenging and efficiently managed learning environment in which all pupils may fully develop their proper potential, regardless of ability, gender, race, background or special educational needs.

Please use the links on the left to navigate these pages. I hope that you will find much to interest you on the website. If you do have any questions, or would like to arrange a visit to the school, please contact the office.

M Wheale

If your child is in Primary school

Application forms for secondary school will be given to Year 6 parents early in the autumn term, by the primary schools.

West Berkshire Council will be able to answer queries regarding admissions on 01635 519780.

If you want your child to attend Little Heath, you need to state this clearly on the form. You are strongly advised to consult the Governors Admissions Policy. Admissions arrangements are further explained in the West Berkshire admissions booklet.

The admissions details for 11year olds from 2000-2005 are as follows:

Applicants

Numbers admitted

September 2003

330

274

September 2004

280*

260

September 2005

281*

269

September 2006

263*

260

*Change to new Local Authority 'equal preference' system emphasising catchment areas.

If your child is at another secondary school already

Please contact the main office on 0118 9427337. Entry will be conditional upon a suitable vacancy in the year group at the time of application and the agreement of the school as to the suitability of the transfer. An LEA transfer form must be completed and returned before the school can make a formal offer of a place.

Applications to join the Sixth Form

There are currently over 340 students in Little Heath school Sixth Form, studying a wide range of courses. Students are very welcome to join us as long as they are prepared to work hard to gain improved qualifications. Obviously many of the students have returned to Little Heath after doing well in their GCSEs here, but an increasingly large minority are joining from other local schools. An online application form is available on the Sixth Form Website or alternatively contact the main office.

We have createdthis page to try to pull together all the resources and links thatparents might find useful.

Try not to bunch all your answers in the middle – use the extremes (This is not like me at all / I am always like this) as well. This will give you a better printout in terms of preferred learning styles.

When you finish you will see a colour graph, showing your strengths and weaknesses. It will have a secret code that you should note down so that you can access this graph again in the future without retaking the test.

Welcome to the Little Heath Sixth Form website. Follow the links to find out more, or contact us.

The Sixth Form at Little Heath is renowned for its excellent results. Year on year the school finishes high in the Performance Tables. More importantly the results our students achieve increase their life choices, enabling progression to their chosen universities and degree courses. Students at Little Heath School are encouraged to aim higher in order to target and achieve success. Our ability to gain high results even from students with modest GCSEs has led to national accolades. Our performance is described as ‘outstanding placing Little Heath towards the very top nationally in terms of value added’. Our ‘top class teaching’ is described as ‘outstanding in national terms’. In November 2005 the effectiveness and efficiency of the Sixth Form has been described as 'outstanding' (Grade 1 ) in our OFSTED Report:

‘The sixth form is excellent. Student numbers have increased significantly in recent years reflecting the public’s acknowledgement of its success. Examination results remain consistently above average. Students make excellent progress. The progress made by students of all abilities is outstanding, in particular for those who begin their courses with below average GCSE results. Teaching is excellent. There is a good range of courses including an increasing number of popular vocational opportunities. The school monitors local needs well to ensure that it is meeting demand. Students are well motivated and drop out rates are low. Leadership and management are highly effective. Standards are monitored closely and effective action is taken to identify areas for improvement and to promote best practice. Students benefit from the high levels of support and guidance provided.’

OFSTED November 2005

There is a place in the Sixth form at Little Heath for any student who is prepared to work hard. We offer an extensive range of AS, A Level and Advanced Vocational Courses. Level 2 Vocational Courses are offered if students need to top up GCSEs before proceeding to more advanced study. At Little Heath School we will work with you towards gaining good qualifications. You will receive plenty of support and guidance, both during your courses and to help you make informed decisions about your future post-18.

The Sixth Form is housed in the Sixth Form Centre at the front of the school. Downstairs there are two Common Rooms for Years 12 & 13, a reception office staffed by Mrs. Bullion (Sixth Form Manager) and the offices of Ms. Vignali (Key Stage 5 Leader) and Mr. Hand (Head of Year 13) and Miss Page (Head of Year 12). You are always welcome in all of our offices, whether for guidance, reassurance, advice or a friendly chat.

The Common Rooms have drink and snack machines and a food service point. They can be used for private study when you don’t have a lesson, as can the school library. Adjacent to the Sixth Form Centre is a covered area where it is also pleasant to eat or socialise when the weather is good.

Upstairs in the block there are three classrooms. and a specialist ICT room for private study. Sixth Form lessons, especially those requiring more specialist facilities, take place in many areas of the school.

Many subjects permanently require rooms with computers. Many of these, such as Computing, ICT, Business Studies and Health and Social Care are taught in computer suites. Others, such as Leisure Studies and the science subjects use the school's trolleys of wireless laptops. Science has all the specialist laboratories and equipment needed for your advanced studies.

Subjects such as Media Studies, Music, Drama and Art have their own specialist facilities too, including some of the latest technology.

Increasingly classrooms across the school, for example in Mathematics and History, are being kitted out with interactive whiteboards (there are more than 50 already).

The PE Department has good facilities, including a spacious sports hall and large school field.

Courses

In the courses section you can find out all you need to know to help you choose the right subjects for Sixth Form study. Click on 'More on courses' below to access this section.

Each course has outlined entry requirements and has provided you with a course description, including information about what you will learn and how you will be assessed. Looking to the future, each course description contains information about possible routes for further progression, either to higher education at University or in terms of potential careers.

You can view the presentation used at the Sixth Form brochure launch in 2007 if you click here (save the file to disk and then run locally).

Obviously you can still ask for advice and help, at any time.

Guidance

In the Guidance section each subject has outlined what you need to know and do to follow the course successfully.

Click here to go to our department pages where you will find links to other useful websites and lots of helpful advice and presentations. Click here to go to the Berkshire Science website - Username LH2452 Password lg78G22

Students are able to contribute to the running of the Sixth Form through the Sixth Form Committee and to the life of the school and the local community through community service. There are many opportunities to widen horizons through extra-curricular activities and travel. We want you to make the most of every opportunity that we have to offer.

The Sixth Form Committee

The Sixth Form Committee presents the attractive opportunity to become involved in the organisation and co-ordination of all social and charity events throughout the school. The committee itself has a long standing tradition of attracting students from across the breadth of the year and offers the challenge of combining A Levels with senior citizen Christmas parties, Comic Relief fund raising, non-school uniform days and countless sixth form social events. The Chairpersons in 2006 – 2007 are Kim Price and Elliott Pentland.The end of year prom is being held at the Calcot Hotel on Tuesday 29th May

Community Service

We expect students to make a worthwhile contribution to the school community. Students help teachers, lower school pupils or the wider community in a variety of ways. Students can assist with lower school tutor groups or mentor individual students, helping with reading skills for example. Sixth Form students also help with the Student Support Group at lunchtime and help with sports teams after school. As well as helping others, this gives you the opportunity to develop new skills and to demonstrate leadership.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

There is the opportunity to prepare for and achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Little Heath. Many Sixth formers take up this opportunity and go on a wide range of expeditions in Britain each year. Every two years there is a major expedition abroad. In 2002 this was to Thailand. In 2004 the students went to Tanzania, where one of the achieved goals was to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Photographs of this expedition are available by following the link. In 2006 students are currently on g expedition to Venezuela.

Field Trips

Each year there are Geography and Biology field trips. The Economics Department visit Paris, and a wide range of other subjects organise residential trips or days out to support the curriculum and your studies. In the summer of 2006 a small group of students have gone to China to learn mandarin and experience Chinese culture.

Additional Support

One of the unique features of the Little Heath Sixth Form is the wide range of additional free lessons, both before and after school, that teachers run to support your revision and maximise your grades.